Cause: Hactool may not have read permission for the keys file.
Solution: Run chmod 644 prod.keys in the terminal.
Example minimal prod.keys for hactool usage (placeholder values — replace with real keys you extracted): hactool prod.keys does not exist
system_seed = 0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef
titlekek = fedcba9876543210fedcba9876543210
bis_key = 00112233445566778899aabbccddeeff
If you prefer to keep your prod.keys file in a custom location (for example, in the same folder as your game files), you must explicitly tell hactool where the keys are located using the -k flag.
The Syntax:
hactool -k "path/to/your/prod.keys" "path/to/game.nca"
Example (Windows): If your keys are on your Desktop:
hactool -k "C:\Users\John\Desktop\prod.keys" "game.nsp"
If you are running the command from inside a folder containing both the game and the keys: Cause: Hactool may not have read permission for
hactool -k prod.keys game.nca
Cause: Case sensitivity or permissions. The file must be named exactly prod.keys (lowercase).
Solution: Check the filename. Use ls -la to verify. Also ensure read permissions: chmod +r prod.keys.
Follow Me